Women's Soccer

Women's Soccer

Former Women’s Soccer Head Coach, Glenn Crooks Inducted into the NJ Youth Soccer Hall of Fame

Glenn Crooks and and his former player at Rutgers, Carli Lloyd. Photo credit: Jeffrey Auger

Feb 13, 2018

EAST WINDSOR, NJ – Former Saint Peter's women's soccer head coach and current basketball play-by-play announcer, Glenn Crooks, was announced as a 2018 inductee into the New Jersey Youth Soccer Hall of Fame.

Crooks was chosen for induction because of his outstanding achievements in the coaching community, especially with the NJYS Olympic Development Program (ODP) and at the collegiate level. A longtime New Jersey resident, Crooks has generated a prolific influence on the soccer landscape at virtually every stage of the game.

Crooks guided the Peacocks for three seasons from 1993 to 1995. Under his direction, the Peacocks won 26 games, making him the winningest women's soccer head coach in Saint Peter's history. In 1994, Crooks' second season at the helm, the Peacocks tallied 12 wins, the program's most in a single-season. The team's success led Crooks being named MAAC Coach of the Year, while his freshman attacker, Liz Kelly, earned the MAAC Rookie of the Year award.

Crooks began his time with New Jersey ODP in 1989, where he directed six teams to ODP Regional Championships and three teams to ODP National Championships. He is also responsible for the foundation of the collegiate soccer program at Long Island University of Brooklyn in addition to Saint Peter's, as well as the interscholastic soccer program at Ridge High School. He was inducted into the Ridge High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013 for his achievements with the latter.

While coaching college soccer, Crooks led teams to nine overall NCAA Tournament appearances, including a pair of runs to the Sweet 16. He took over the Rutgers University women's soccer program in 2000, and he enjoyed a 13-year tenure with the Scarlet Knights. Among the players he coached at Rutgers were FIFA Women's World Cup champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time FIFA Women's Player of the Year Carli Lloyd and Canada national team player Jonelle Filigno, who also participated in the FIFA Women's World Cup and Summer Olympics.

Crooks currently serves as the host of The Coaching Academy on SiriusXM FC, is a color analyst for the Big Ten Network and is also the play-by-play radio voice for New York City FC of Major League Soccer, in addition to doing play-by-play for the Peacocks men's and women's basketball teams on the Saint Peter's Athletics YouTube channel.

Glenn Crooks: "The most enjoyable part of receiving this honor was to sit down and think back to all the people who have had a positive impact on my life as a person and coach. Add to that the support, compassion and love from my family. How great it is to share this with all of them."